Verstappen vs. Norris: Friendship in Formula 1 at the end?

Verstappen vs. Norris: Friendship in Formula 1 at the end?

Abu Dhabi, VAE - The Formula 1 World Championship 2024 was an exciting spectacle that came up this year with gripping duels and a newly sparked rivalry between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. According to information from Krone , ex-world champion Nico Rosberg has expressed concerns that a friendly relationship between the two pilots cannot be maintained despite their opposition. Rosberg stated: "It is so hard to be friends with one another in such a situation, especially if you have a competitor with Max Verstappen who is a master in excavating the gray area." For Rosberg, who himself experienced a difficult relationship with his former friend Lewis Hamilton, the pressure of the competition is enormous. The emotional tensions between Verstappen and Norris will not remain without consequences and could strain their relationship sustainably.

The 2024 season offered an extraordinary competition, like Rosberg: "In 2024 we now had seven different winners who all won more than one race-a premiere in the 75th Formula 1 season!" A highlight of the season was the phase after the GP of Miami, as McLaren and Norris, who proved to be the fastest on the track, really put pressure on Verstappen. "Verstappen had to really tremble in front of Norris, who was in a great summer form to destroy Max's lead," said Rosberg in a podcast from Speedweek . Verstappen finally secured his fourth title, but that could also have been slightly different.

The dynasty of rivalry

This year was characterized by an unprecedented performance density. While Verstappen was considered the defending champion, McLaren showed remarkable progress with Norris and his team. Rosberg has indicated that Norris still has to work on his performance in order to be really dangerous: "If he wants to beat over a season, then he has to lower his error quota." From this it becomes clear that the pressure they put together is not only sportier, but also a psychological nature. The atmosphere and the competitive pressure in Formula 1 could continue to strain the relationship between Norris and Verstappen, which should keep in mind fans.